Naoshima New Museum of Art / Tadao Ando

The architecture of the Naoshima New Museum of Art is designed by Tadao Ando, who has worked on museum projects for Naoshima for over three decades beginning with Benesse House Museum, which opened in 1992.

Featuring a large roof whose slope resonates with the hilltop location, the new three-story museum has two floors underground and one on ground level. A staircase, where natural light enters from a skylight, extends downward, straight from the ground level to the underground floors. Located on both sides of the staircase are four galleries. There is a café on the northern part of the ground floor, which offers a scenic view of the island of Teshima and fishing boats coming and going, a characteristic vista of the Seto Inland Sea.

The exterior of the museum will feature black plaster reminiscent of burned cedar walls, and a stacked pebble walls to blend with the surrounding landscape of the Honmura area. The architecture and the approach leading up to the entrance are designed to connect the experience of visitors with Naoshima’s history and people’s lives.

“I believe it was, more than anything, Mr. Fukutake Soichiro’s enthusiasm and passion that led Naoshima to flourish as a world-famous island of art and culture. While there are a number of wonderful art museums around the world, I have not seen many that demonstrate the personal senses of an individual as vividly as the one in Naoshima does. Working on this new museum project, more than thirty-five years since I first met Mr. Fukutake, I am drawn more than ever to follow his liberal spirit and strong will now and going forward into the future.” Tadao Ando

• Architects: Tadao Ando Architect & Associates. Lead architect.- Tadao Ando
• Founder: Fukutake Foundation. Honorary chairman.- Fukutake Soichiro.
• Director: Miki Akiko
• Dates: Opening – 31.05.2025.
• Location: 3299-73 Naoshima, Kagawa, Japan.
• Rendering: Tadao Ando Architect & Associates.